GOA Criticizes ATF’s Proposed Record-Keeping Rules
The Gun Owners Association of America (GOA) has taken issue with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) regarding new proposed regulations concerning the retention of firearm sales records.
Recently, the ATF announced suggested rules outlining that it would no longer maintain firearm sales documentation “indefinitely.” The GOA acknowledged this change but expressed serious concerns. They highlighted in a social media post that, under the new rule, records of gun purchases could be retained until July 5, 2086. This means a gun store could keep purchase records nearly every day for 29 years, and if they were to close, the ATF would hold on to those records for an additional 30 years. They find this completely unacceptable.
If you purchase a gun today, your documents will not be destroyed under this ATF rule until July 5, 2086. Gun stores keep records of your gun purchases 364 days a year for 29 years and could go out of business. The ATF will then keep the gun records for another 30 years. Not acceptable.
The ATF’s proposal seems to aim for a more familiar standard, akin to the regulations in place before 1985, which mandated a 20-year record retention period. This follows changes made by the Biden administration in 2022, which required federal firearms licensees to retain records until they shut down operations.
ATF has indicated that it considered reverting to a 20 or even 30-year record retention requirement based on earlier guidelines. They suggested that this potential move would be more manageable for the industry. In their announcement, they pointed out that a 30-year retention could alleviate storage pressures while keeping important records accessible for law enforcement.
Public comments on these proposed rules will be accepted until August 4. So far, neither the ATF, the White House, nor the National Rifle Association have responded to inquiries regarding this matter.
Aidan Johnston, the GOA’s director of federal affairs, remarked that while there might be some praise for the attempts to amend the previous regulations, the notion of keeping records for lengthy periods, such as 60 years, is far from reasonable. He stated that it seems excessive to retain documentation of firearms owned by law-abiding citizens that haven’t been involved in any criminal activity, arguing that the law prohibits maintaining records beyond 20 years.
